Meet the Irish acappella groups battling it out on Sky’s new talent show

Singing groups from near and afar are ready to take to the stage and battle it out to be crowned the ultimate A Cappella Kings and Queens on Sky 1’s brand new reality singing show, Sing.

Hosted by Cat Deeley, the show is a new Sky Original Production that will brings together 30 of the UK and Ireland’s most exciting and diverse a cappella groups in a competition based on raw vocal talent.

In short, it’s kind of like Pitch Perfect.

And singing for the title of Sing: Ultimate A Cappella champions are not one but two Irish acts.

First up it’s Ardú - a six-piece group from Dublin.

Made up of Vicky Warwick (26), Andrea Delaney (32), Leanne Fitzgerald (25), Ciaran Kelly (30), Harry Oulton (29) and Tristan Caldwell (34), the group regularly perform all over Ireland and will open the series with their version of U2’s ‘With or Without You’.

Ardú (which means ‘rise’ as Gaeilge) are aiming to make a cappella more popular on our shores and in July headlined their own a cappella festival in Dublin.

Ardú say: “There is such a choral background and history of fiddle music in Ireland. A lot of new groups imitate and follow tradition – there’s no one else doing what we do.”

The second Irish act hoping to go all the way are The Apple Blossoms - an all-female trio (also from Dublin) made up of Kate Donohue, Allison Grace Saul and Keri Ann Sheridan.

They have been singing for years, but are fairly new to the world of a cappella, which they describe as “liberating”.

The Apple Blossoms say: “Harmonies are where we really shine as a group. We blend really well together and know each other’s voices inside and out.”

Sing: Ultimate A Cappella airs this Friday 6 October at 9pm, only on Sky 1.